Blooming Fest offers family fun, but still has plant sale at its heart

West Chicago's Blooming Fest has blossomed from a little plant sale into a daylong community festival with music, food and more than 80 vendors.

This is the 10th anniversary, and while the plants - many grown by West Chicago Garden Club members - still attract fest-goers from all over the suburbs, you don't have to have a green thumb to enjoy this family-friendly party.

Blooming Fest runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 15, in downtown West Chicago.

This year's fest includes the Chicago Corvette Club "Wheels" exhibit on Fremont Street and back-to-back entertainment on the Main Street stage.

The garden club will sell plants - until they run out - in a 30-by-40-foot tent on Galena Street.

"West Chicago is a strong gardening community, with one of the largest and most active garden clubs in the area," said Rosemary Mackey, the city's marketing and communications coordinator. "The unique opportunity to purchase thriving perennials, flowers, trees and shrubs - many potted directly from member gardens - is a tremendous draw."

The Wheaton Academy Jazz Ensemble opens the Main Stage at 9 a.m., followed by Wheaton Academy's Kantorei a cappella group at 9:30 a.m.; Weber School of Irish Dance at 10 a.m.; West Chicago Park District School of Dance and class demonstrations at 11 a.m.; St. Mary's Parish Youth and Adult Choirs at noon; rockers The Numbers at 1:15 p.m. and singer/guitarist Barry Rabovsky at 2:15 p.m.

Other attractions on Main Street include a craft sale, children's activities and food. The West Chicago Park District will coordinate children's games with a flower-and-garden theme, such as ring tosses with hula hoops.

Volunteers from Wheaton Academy will grill hot dogs and hamburgers, for sale for a nominal fee. Students will also offer free face painting.

And what's a street festival without funnel cakes and lemon shake-ups? Din Hua, a local Asian restaurant, will sell both. Cortez Bakery will offer Latino baked goods, bagels, coffee and cappuccino. El Coco Loco's booth will feature Mexican specialties and the popular Little Jimmy's Italian ice returns this year.

Gardeners will find plenty of information about using native and prairie plants - a nice tie-in with the City Museum's exhibit "A Prairie Primer - Art, History and Stewardship." The museum, 132 Main St., also will offer children's activities.

Gallery 200, 200 Main St., will have several special activities during Blooming Fest, including an oil-painting demonstration from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; May featured artists ceramist Sharon Spitzer and watercolorist Nancy Andrews from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and creating watercolor dew drops with Phoebe Smith from 1 to 3 p.m.

Art installations will be featured throughout the downtown as part of artXposium, which runs today, Saturday and Sunday, May 14-16.

The West Chicago Public Library, 118 W. Washington St., will present the Mini Theatre Troupe Puppet Show at 1:15 p.m. and storytime at 2:15 p.m.